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Ex-SAG president has new job

Drugfree.org names Melissa Gilbert spokesperson.

Actress and former Screen Actors Guild president Melissa Gilbert has taken on a new role, stepping in as spokeswoman for Partnership at Drugfree.org, formerly called Partnership for a Drug-Free America and known for its iconic "this is your brain on drugs" ads.

The New York-based non-profit organization launched its new name and announced the former "Little House on the Prairie" star as its first ever long-term celebrity delegate Thursday.

"I come at the issue of addiction from so many angles," said Gilbert, who headed SAG from 2001 to 2005, in a media statement. "I myself am a recovering alcoholic, six years sober ... as a young teen in the 1980s, I more than dabbled in drugs and alcohol."

The 46-year-old actress and parent of four said she chose to work with Partnership at Drugfree.org, which offers parenting advice on everything from drug prevention to recovery, because she hopes that as a familiar face to those who grew up watching "Little House," she is a trusted source who can help fellow parents steer their kids from the isolating pitfalls of addiction.

"I'm hoping that they'll come away with ... the thought that the stigma of being a parent with a child who is going through addiction issues is nonexistent, because it can happen to anyone," she added.